Safety acetylene-gas generator.



L. WAGSCHAL. v SAFETY ACETYLENE' GAS GENERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR-11.1915- Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

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WITNESSES:

A TTORNEK co umn FLANQGRAPH- 110.. WASHINGTON, D. c.

L. WAGSCHAL.

SAFETY ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 11. 1915.

1 ,1 59,81 4. Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

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WIT/V 88/58: IIVVEIVTOR:

44M fw W W ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS WAGSCHAL, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

SAFETY ACETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.-

Application filed March 11, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS W'AosoHAL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana,have invented a new and useful Safety Acetylene-Gas Generator, of whichthe following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings and to the letters and figures of reference markedthereon.

This invention relates to apparatus for producing and obtainingacetylene gas under high pressure, more especially without endangeringthe operator or attendant, the invention having reference moreparticularly to gas-generating and controlling apparatus that isdesigned for delivering limited quantities of acetylene gas underextremely high pressure, for directly charging portable tanks orreservoirs, which may be carried on vehicles to supply gas lamps, or forwelding operations or other purposes.

An object of the invention is to provide acetylene gas-generatingapparatus that shall be so constructed as to be simple and inexpensiveand capable of being reliably and efliciently operated with safety.

Another object is to provide an acetylene gas generator and controllingapparatus therefor of such construction as to avoid the necessity of anoperator exposing himself to danger that might arise through unavoidabledefects, oversight, or carelessness on the part of others.

A further object is to provide a safety high-pressure acetylene gasgenerator that shall be so constructed as to be adapted for chargingcontainers without pumping operations and not be liable to generatedangerous overpressure, and controlling apparatus of such constructionas to permit of operation thereof by anattendant at a distance from thegenerator, so as to be entirely out of the danger Zone in case of theexplosion of gas in the generator from unavoidable cause.

Vith the abovementioned and other objects in view, the inventionconsists in an improved acetylene gas generator, and conprising moreparticularly improved means for feeding or measuring the carbid ofcalcium in quantities not liable to result in dangerous overpressure inthe generator; the invention including also improved means forcontrolling the generation of the gas in a safe manner. And theinvention consists Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

Serial No. 13,559.

also further in the novel parts, and combinations and arrangements ofparts, as hereinafter particularly described and further set forth inthe accompanying claims. I

Referring to the drawings,Figure 1 is a top plan of an acetylene gasgenerating plant constructed substantially in accordance with theinvention; Fig. 2 is a vertical central sectional view of the improvedgas generator; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the generator on theline A A on Fig. 2 with the carbid feeder in a different position; Fig.4 is a perspective view of one of the principal parts of, the carbidfeeder; Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line B B on Fig. 2; Fig. 6is a perspective View of an improved carbid holder constructed forcontributing to the control of the feeding of carbid of calcium; Fig. 7is a perspective view of the operating shaft of the carbid feederg Fig.-8 is a diagrammatic sec tional elevation of the complete gas plant;Fig. 9 is a fragmentary section of the bottom of the gas generator on anenlarged scale; and, Fig. 10 is a top plan of the bottom of thegenerator.'

Throughout the drawings, like reference characters indicatecorresponding elements or features of construction herein referred to.

A practical embodiment of the invention includes a very strong generatorvessel which consists of a cylindrical shell or wall 1 capable ofresisting great internal pres. sure, and also a bottom 2 and a head ortop 3 of similar shape, each being very thick and strong, the inner sideof one having an annular groove 4: and the other having a similar groove4 therein in the bottoms of which are suitable packing rings 5 and 5respec tively. One end of the shell is removably seated in the groove 4upon the packing ring 5, the opposite or top end of the shell beingseated inthe groove 4; against the packing ring 5. Thus arranged thepacking rings cannot be forced out of place by gas pressure in thevessel and insures against leakage. The bottom is provided with boltholes 6, the head with similar holes 6 to receive securing bolts or rods7, 7, which are arranged externally to the shell and have nuts 8, 8, ontheir ends engaging the outer'sides of the bottom and the headrespectively; The bottom has a drain-hole 9 and a drain-pipe 10 providedwith a removable cap 11. Ashaft 12 is rotatably mounted centrally in thehead 3, the latter being provided with a packing box 13 and a packingnut le through which the shaft extends. The inner portion of the shafthas a collar 15 thereon that engages the inner side of the head toprevent the shaft from being blown outward by the gas pressure, theshaft having also a squared end portion 16 that extends downward beyondthe collar and has a tapered end 17. The upper portion of the shaft hasa squared end portion 18 whereby the shaft may be rotated by a suitabledevice. The vessel so constructed is capable of holding water into whichthe carbid of calcium is to be fed.

A carbid holder is provided which comprises an open-top cylindrical bodyportion or shell 19 having a bottom 20 in its lower end, the middleportion of the bottom having a journal bearing 21 therein. A suitablenumber of legs 22, 22, are secured to the bottom and normally rest uponthe bottom 2 for support, the carbid holder being slightly less indiameter than the shell 1 of the generator vessel and removably insertedin the vessel. The legs are of suflicient length to support the carbidholder above the water in the vessel with the top of the carbid holdernear to the head 3. The bottom 20 has an aperture 23 therein adjacent tothe body portion or wall 19, the aperture preferably being approximatelya quarter segment or nearly equal. to one-fourth of the area of thebottom 20. An improved feeding device comprises a central shaft 2ahaving a journal 25 that is removably inserted in the bearing 21, theupper end of the shaft having a squared socket 26 therein that normallyreceives the squared portion 16 of the operating shaft of the feeder. Asuitable number of wings or blades 27, 28, 29 and 30 are fixedlyconnected or cast integrally with the shaft 2 1 and normally rest uponthe bottom 20, the wings extending to the wall 19 and upward to the topthereof. Preferably a web 31 is fixedly connected to the tops of twoadjacent ones of the wings, the web being placed above the feed aperture23 when the carbid holder is being charged so as to prevent particles ofthe carbid from falling downward and through the aperture.

For drawing off the generated gas from the generator the head 3 isprovided with an outlet aperture 32 and a delivery pipe 33 provided witha check valve 34 for preventing the return of gas to the generator, aconducting pipe 35 being connected with the check valve and providedwith a union 86 by which the pipe is connected to a conducting pipe 37which has a suitable pipe 38 connected thereto. A large pressure-gage 39is connected to the pipe 38 and is suliiciently large to be clearly seenfrom a considerable distance from the operator or attendant, in orderthat he may observe the pressure indicated in the generator while at asafe distance therefrom. In order that the operator may feed the carbidof calcium. at will and under control, suitable gearing, preferablycomprising a wheel A0, is provided and connected to the shaft 12,preferably being re movably connected to the squared portion 18 of theshaft. In order that the wheel may be operated by the attendant at asafe distance from the generator, the wheel is constructed as a sprocketwheel and has a chain n thereon. A support 12 is arranged at a safedistance from the generator, being preferably mounted on the inner sideof a wall 43 of a building in which the tanks or con tainers may befilled with the gas, the wall having a window-opening l l thereinthrough which the attendant may observe the gage 39. A sprocket wheel 45is rotatably mounted on the support 42 and has a sprocket chain asthereon. which is suitably connected with the chain 11. Preferably thetwo chains are not continuous and are cheaply connected together by arod or cable 17 connected to one end of the two chains and a similar rodor cable A8 connected to the remaining end of the two chains.

In order to reduce the temperature of the gas in its passage to thepoint of delivery, the pipe 37 is extended into the adjacent ground andis connected to an underground pipe 49 that extends through the wall ofthe building and is connected to a riser pipe 50 that preferably has ahorizontal pipe 51 connected thereto, the latter being provided with astop valve 52. A pipe 53 is connected to the pipe 51 so as topractically form a continuation of the pipe 50 for the escape of airbefore the valve 52 is opened for the passage of gas. The pipe 53preferably has an extension 5st connected thereto to which a blow-offvalve 55 is connected, the latter preferably being provided with ablow-off pipe 56 that extends through the wall of the building.

The complete apparatus preferably comprises also a suitable washer 57that is connected with the valve 52 by means of a pipe 58 to conduct thegas into the lower portion of the washer chamber, the latter havingwater therein. A gage 59 is connected with the chamber to indicate thepressure therein. A suitable purifier 60 is connected with the washer bymeans of a pipe 61 provided with a stop valve 62. An outlet pipe 63 iscon nected with the purifier and provided with a stop valve 6 1. Thepipe 63 may be provided with any desired number of branches forexpeditiously conducting the gas to tanks or containers under highpressure.

It will be understood that the generator is located at a considerabledistance from the building and that proper safeguards are contemplatedto prevent the approach of persons other than the attendant to thegenerator. It should be understood also that various modifications inthe details of construction or arrangement of parts are contemplatedwithin the scope of the appended claims.

In practical use, the head 3 being removed from the shell or bodyportion 1 of the generator vessel, a suitable quantity of water isplaced in the vessel. The carbid holder is placed in the vessel and issupplied with carbid or calcium either before or after insertion in thevessel, each compartment between the wings or blades of the feeder, ex-

cepting that covered by the web 31, being supplied with the carbid, sothat approximately three-fourths of the bottom 20 is covered by thecarbid. The head 3 is placed in position while the squared portion 16 ofthe operating shaft is inserted into the socket 26 of the feeder, afterwhich the head is properly secured in position so that the vessel issealed. The operator leaves the generator, and passing into the buildingturns the operating wheel l5, with the result that the shaft 12 turnsthe shaft 24 so as to cause the blades or wings to move and force thecarbid in one of the chambers from the bottom 20 so that the carbidfalls through the aperture 23 into the water in the lower portion of thevessel, resulting in the production of gas which rises from the waterand passes by the carbid holder and into the pipe The valve 55 is openedand the outlet end of the blow-off pipe 56 observed while the stop valve52 is closed, so that the air that may be in the pipes and the upperportion of the generator may escape. WV hen sufficient pressure has beendeveloped by the formation of the gas to cause a slight noise at the endof the pipe 56, it is understood that the air has been forced out, afterwhich the valve 52 is opened and the valve 55 closed, so that the gas isconducted through the washer and the purifier to the delivery pipe 63.The gage 39 is watched and when it indicates the desired pressure thefeeding of the carbid is stopped, or the feeding is intermittentlycontinued until the required pressure desired has been obtained asindicated by the gage. The gage 59 may be observed also when deliveringthe gas which may be used for various purposes other than the chargingof port-able tanks or containers.

\Vhen the recharging of the generator is required the valve 52 may beclosed, and after disconnecting the union 36 the head 3 is removed,after which the carbid holder is replenished to be followed by thereplacing of the head 3 and coupling of the union 36. The generatorvessel may be cleansed by drawing off the water and sediment through thepipe 10, but in practice the vessel is thoroughly cleansed of all matterand recharged with clean water after removing the carbid holder andfeeder, the operations being facilitated by removing the wheel 40 fromthe shaft 12, the flexible belt abovedescribed that connects the drivingwheell5 with the wheel 40 permitting the latter wheel to be readilyremoved or replaced on the shaft.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In anacetylene gas generator, the combination of a generator vessel, with acarbidcontainer placed in the upper portion ofthe vessel and having anopening in its bottom, a feeder rotatable within the container andhaving a centrally disposed shaft'and' a series of wings radiallyextending from the shaft, a web between the tops of two adjacent ones ofthe wings and fixed thereto, the web being arranged to cover the opening in the bottom when the carbid-container is being filled, and meansfor rotating the feeder.

2. In an acetylene gas apparatus, a generator vessel provided with aremovable head detachably secured on the vessel and also containing acarbid-holder and a rotatable feeder having a polygonal socket in itsupper end, and means for rotating said feeder comprising a shaftvertically journaled in the head and having a polygonal lower endfitting the socket when the head is in normal position, a rotatablysupported driving wheel, a driven wheel secured on the upper end of theshaft, and a driving connection between the said two wheels, the drivingconnection being laterally flexible and perthe carbid-holder, the wingsand said side Y wall forming pockets, the cross-section of each pocketbetween two adjacent ones of the wings being substantially equal to thesegmental opening in the bottom of said carbid-holder, and a webconnecting the said two adjacent wings at the tops thereof and extendingto the upper portion of the said side wall.

4!. In an acetylene gas generator, the combination of a closed waterholding vessel, the top of the vessel being removable, a carbid-holderstatio-narily supported in the vessel and comprising a bottom and a sidewall fixed thereon, the bottom having a central journal bearing and alsoan aperture on one side of the bearing, a feeder comprising a shaftrotatably guided in the journal bearing and wings radially arranged andfixed on the shaft, the Wings extending movably on the bottom and to theWall in movable relation thereto to form compartments for receiving andmoving the carbid along said bottom to said aperture, one of thecompartments having a cover comprising a Web connected to the tops oftwo adjacent ones of the Wings, and a shaft rotataoiy mounted LOUIS\VAGSCHAL. Witnesses E. T. SILVIUS, M. E. SPARROW.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

